BAU HS: Meet the Parents
by 14hpgirl19
Summary: *Set after Ch. 38: Letters* Aaron Hotchner is normally a tough guy, but how will he fare at dinner with his girlfriend's parents?


**It's been a long time since I posted one of these, and for that I'm sorry. Real life has been crazy and I haven't had a lot of time to write. I've been meaning to get this one up for a while. Things are slowing down, so I should have more time for writing.**

**I also have been meaning to say a massive thank you to everyone who nominated BAU High School for a Profiler's Choice Award! I'm so honored to have been nominated, and I'm so glad you liked my story enough to take the time to nominate it. I never thought it would get this big. THANK YOU! =)**

**If anyone has a prompt for one of these one-shots, let me know! I'd be happy to try to fill some of your requests (within reason because there are some things I won't do).**

**With that, happy reading! Let me know what you think at the end!**

"We need to celebrate," Emily declared as she and Aaron exited the school. They'd just opened Aaron's college acceptance letters together, and she could tell a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He was still worried, but he could breathe now.

"Why?" he asked, slipping his hand into hers.

"You got accepted into two great schools!" she cried, swinging their arms for emphasis. The corner of Aaron's mouth quirked up.

"You did too," he pointed out.

"Yeah, last year. And it's only one."

"Then it's long overdue," he said with a smile. Emily just rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

Even though Emily lived less than five minutes away, Aaron drove them to her house and followed her inside. It had become tradition for Aaron to come over to her house when they were both free. They always went into the kitchen for snacks, then plopped on the couch to watch television.

"Seriously though," Emily said once they were situated with a bowl of chips between them. "We need to celebrate."

Aaron sighed. "Fine. Can it just be you and me though?"

Emily's eyebrows furrowed as she munched on a chip. "Why? Don't you want everyone else?"

"Well, I guess," he hedged. "I just want to do something special with you."

"Aww." Emily smiled. "Okay, how about this: We have a party with them for your letters, and something between just us for mine."

"That sounds fair." Aaron grinned and slung his arm around the back of the couch. His hand lay on Emily's shoulder, and she leaned into his touch.

Afternoons like this made the long days at school so much easier. Things had gotten better since JJ joined the group, but when separated from everyone, it wasn't good. The school still viewed Emily as the new girl who led to Haley Brooks' heartbreak. That wasn't true, but some kids believed it thanks to a rumor she spread. They glared at her and whispered behind her back. Emily kept her head up, but it was really weighing on her.

As the afternoon progressed and the chip bowl became empty, Aaron and Emily scooted closer together. He wrapped his arm around her and she nestled her head onto his shoulder. They continued to watch TV until their concentration began to waver. Eventually they were more preoccupied with themselves then the screen before them.

Emily was lying on top of Aaron with his fingers knotted in her dark hair when she heard the garage door open. The door to the garage was right behind the couch.

"Shit!" she hissed, leaping away from Aaron. She collapsed into the armchair and tried to fix her hair. Aaron cleared his throat and sat up, adjusting his clothes.

The door opened, and Emily's father walked in. Charles Prentiss frowned at the sight before him, gazing around the room as if to make sure nothing was broken.

"Hi, Daddy," Emily said in a high-pitched voice. She immediately coughed to clear it up.

"Hi, Em." He eyed the teenage boy on the couch. "Hello, Aaron."

"Hello, Mr. Prentiss," Aaron said calmly, his face the picture of innocence. Emily envied his ability to keep his face expressionless.

"What are you doing home so early, Daddy?" Emily asked, her voice back to normal. Mr. Prentiss' face softened as he looked at his daughter.

"My meeting was cancelled, so I was allowed to leave early." He glanced at Aaron. "I didn't know you'd have company."

"I'll go," Aaron said quickly, standing up.

"You don't have to," Emily said.

"Em, I'm sure Mr. Hotchner has somewhere he needs to be," Mr. Prentiss put in. Emily shot her father a look.

"He's right." Aaron hated the way he called him Mr. Hotchner. "I'll call you later, Emily." He gave her a friendly hug for the sake of Mr. Prentiss. "It was nice to see you again, Mr. Prentiss."

"You too, Aaron," Charles said distractedly, heading into the kitchen. Aaron offered Emily a reassuring smile before slipping out the front door.

"Dad!" Emily cried, stomping into the kitchen. Her father was getting a mug out of the cabinet.

"What? He had to leave."

Emily barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. "You know that's a lie."

"He lied? Bad boy."

"Dad!" she shrieked. Charles stared at her.

"Calm down, Emily." He began to busy himself with the coffee maker. Emily sank onto one of the island stools.

"If you just got to know him…" Her voice trailed off.

"How can I? He's always running off." Satisfied that the coffee was starting, Charles took a seat next to his daughter.

"Because you scare him," she said truthfully. She was never one for beating around the bush.

Charles sighed. "I'm sorry, Emily. I just get nervous when there are boys around you, especially one that you're so crazy about. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I won't," she said soothingly. "He won't hurt me."

"You say that now," he huffed.

"Dad."

"Sorry."

Emily chewed on her lip. "What if you sat down and talked to him?"

"I suppose that's a way to get to know him," he said slowly. He looked at her. "What do you have in mind?"

"He can come over for dinner," she suggested, feeling hopeful. Charles frowned.

"I thought girls were against having their boyfriends over for dinner."

She sighed. "Normally, yes. But I want you two to get along!"

"Fine," Charles muttered. He stood up and kissed her on the head. "Tomorrow then."

"What?" she yelped, her head snapping up to look him in the eye.

"What's wrong with that?"

"That gives him no time!"

He raised an eyebrow. "No time for what?"

Emily gulped. "Nothing."

"Great. Then he'll be here tomorrow at seven."

Emily's heart sunk as she drifted out of the room. Aaron was going to kill her.

* * *

"YOU WHAT?"

Aaron's incredulous shout caught everyone's attention in the Chemistry room. Emily smiled guiltily at them before dragging Aaron into his seat.

"I'm sorry!" she moaned. "My dad kinda cornered me on this. There was nothing I could do!"

Aaron glared at her, and she shrank a little under the famous Aaron Hotchner stare. "What made you think it would be a good idea for me to sit down and 'get to know him?'"

"I just don't want you to feel the need to run out of the house every time he comes home," she squeaked. Aaron opened his mouth to retort, but was cut off by their teacher walking into the room.

"Later," he muttered, and Emily spent all class wondering if there was a way to postpone the dinner. Maybe then her boyfriend could see why this wasn't a completely awful idea.

As soon as the bell rang Aaron spun around to continue their conversation.

"I don't feel the need to run out," he said, picking up right where they left off.

"Yes, you do," she shot back, having gained some confidence during the period.

Aaron licked his lips as they exited the room. "Okay, _maybe _I do…"

"Please, Aaron?" she begged. "My dad thinks you're going to break my heart and stomp on the pieces, and I want to show him you won't."

Aaron sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I guess that's not bad. I just wish you had given me more notice." He looked over at her. "What do I wear?"

Emily giggled at the panicked look in his brown eyes. "Normal clothes, I suppose."

"Should I bring anything?"

"Only if you want to."

He sighed again and nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll be there."

Emily grinned and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Great! We can talk more in free period." She waved goodbye, leaving him dazed in front of his History room.

"Talk more about what?" a sly voice said behind Aaron. Turning around, he greeted his best friend Derek Morgan with a half-hearted high-five.

"Dinner with Emily's parents," he murmured, still trying to process it. Derek grinned evilly.

"Hahaha. That's great. When's D-Day?"

"Tonight."

Derek's grin grew even bigger. "Have fun."

Aaron punched his shoulder.

* * *

At seven o'clock sharp, Aaron pulled up to the Prentiss house and took a deep breath. _You can do this, _he told himself. _Parents love you. Just be yourself._

Climbing out of the car, he smoothed the front of his dark blue button down shirt, making sure it wasn't too wrinkled. Emily said his regular clothes would work, but Aaron thought the dress shirt would look a bit nicer than his polos.

He walked around to the other side of his car and took out the bouquet he'd purchased from the supermarket on the way over. He hadn't had time for anything else. Emily insisted he didn't need to bring anything, but Aaron had been raised to bring gifts for your hosts. His mother had grown up in a prominent family in Virginia, and she worked hard to instill good manners in her sons, though Sean was only five years old.

Aaron gripped the flowers in both hands as he walked up to the front porch. Taking another deep breath, he knocked on the door. A second later it opened, and Emily appeared on the other side. Aaron got the impression she had been waiting by the door so she could be the person to answer it.

"Hey! You look great." She smiled appreciatively as she took in his appearance. She eyed the bright flowers. "I told you not to bring anything!"

"They're for your mom," he explained. "To thank her for dinner."

Emily just smiled. "Always the gentleman."

She ushered him inside, and he followed her into the kitchen. Elizabeth Prentiss was chopping vegetables at the counter, and Charles was tapping away on his laptop. Both looked up when the teenagers entered the room.

"Hello, Aaron!" Elizabeth called. She smiled warmly and set the knife down before making her way over to them.

"Hello, Mrs. Prentiss," he said formally. He handed her the bouquet. "For you."

"Oh, that's so kind of you!" She set about getting a vase for them.

Aaron turned to Charles. "Hello, Mr. Prentiss."

"Hello," the man said distantly, his eyes never leaving the screen.

"Dad!" Emily groaned.

"Charles!" Elizabeth said sternly. He reluctantly looked up.

"Yes, dear?" She tilted her head towards Aaron, and Charles sighed. He closed his laptop and pushed it aside. Standing up, he walked over to Aaron and stuck his hand out. Aaron hastily grabbed it and shook it.

"How are you?" Charles asked.

"Good, sir. And you?"

"Fine, fine." Charles turned away and looked at his wife. "Anything I can help you with?"

"I'm just about done actually," she said as she picked up a large bowl of salad. "If you could get the meatloaf and bring it into the dining room that'd be great."

"Can I take anything, Mrs. Prentiss?" Aaron asked.

"No, no, Aaron, that's alright. Thank you though. Emily, dear, could you get the mashed potatoes?"

"Yep." She waited until her parents were out of the room until she gave Aaron a quick, but sweet hug. "I'm so sorry about my dad. He's just… Dad."

"Em, it's okay," he insisted. "I wasn't expecting this to be easy."

She cracked a smile at that and lifted the bowl of potatoes off the counter. "Well, concerning my dad at least. You have my mom eating out of the palm of your hand. And she's normally the tough one!"

Aaron just shrugged as he followed Emily into the dining room. Wide windows faced the front lawn to Aaron's right when he walked in. The room was mainly occupied by a long table currently set for four. A simple red tablecloth covered it, and there was a plate at each side of the table. Emily set the potatoes down before taking a seat on the right side. Charles was sitting on the far end with Elizabeth closest to the door, leaving Aaron on the left side. Once he sat down, Elizabeth handed him a plate filled with food. His stomach growled.

"Hungry?" Emily asked with a sly grin. Aaron just nodded, waiting for everyone else to be served. He accepted a glass of water from Elizabeth and took a sip. Finally everyone had a plate in front of them, and he hungrily dug in.

_So far, so good, _he thought. He could to this.

"So Aaron," Elizabeth started. "Emily tells us you've lived here your whole life?"

"Yes," he answered, grateful for a conversation starter. "My parents are from around this area, so they decided it would be a good place to settle down."

"Any siblings?" Charles asked, slowly getting into the conversational mood. Aaron knew that would be one of many questions aimed at him tonight.

"A brother. He's five."

"That's quite the age gap," Charles commented. Emily shot him a glare.

"Uh, yes, I suppose it is," Aaron replied. "I still try to spend time with him though."

"I bet you do," Elizabeth said with a smile. "He must look up to you."

"He does," Emily piped up. "Aaron's his hero."

"Em." Aaron dropped his gaze to his plate. "I'm really not."

"Don't be so modest," she pressed. "He loves you." Aaron smiled sheepishly.

"He probably wants to be like you when he grows up," Elizabeth said. "A football player, right?"

Aaron wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing in her eyes, so he just said, "Yes."

"Quarterback?" Charles asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Yes, sir."

"And he's the captain," Emily added. Aaron gave her another look.

"That's very impressive," Elizabeth said, nodding her approval. However, that wasn't enough for Charles.

"How long have you been on the team?"

"Since my freshman year," Aaron answered readily. Charles nodded slowly.

"Nice," was all he said. Emily bit her lip to stop from saying something.

Dinner was full of snide comments from Charles. Aaron managed to keep up, but he could tell his girlfriend was one more sentence away from dragging him out of the house. Elizabeth seemed unhappy about her husband's behavior as well, though not as mad as her daughter. Aaron figured it was because she was interested in learning about him the same way Charles was, and she wanted to see if he was right for Emily.

Still, despite everything, Aaron was surprised by the lack of intense questioning. All they had been doing was discussing things like current events or vacations their families had taken. Aaron had been preparing himself for questions about his future or his grades, and because they weren't coming he fell into a sense of security. He began to relax despite Charles' attitude.

He should have known better. Once they finished eating, Elizabeth requested that Emily help her clear away the dishes and get dessert. Emily looked like she would much rather stay, but reluctantly followed her mother out of the room. Aaron was suddenly very aware of how quiet the room was without their chatter.

"So Aaron…" Charles began, rotating his wine glass in his hand. Aaron barely managed to not gulp.

"Yes, sir?" he asked when Charles didn't continue. The older man stared at him.

"You don't have to call me sir." Aaron was surprised at how kind the man's voice was. "Mr. Prentiss will do just fine."

"Uh, okay, Mr. Prentiss." Aaron's shock grew when Charles chuckled.

"Relax, Aaron. You look like I'm going to snap your neck. I only want to ask you some questions."

"Right. Sorry," Aaron stuttered. He really wanted to impress his girlfriend's father.

"When I first met you, you said you had all As in your classes. Is that still true?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Best class?"

"Uh, most likely Psychology."

Charles raised an eyebrow. "That's the class you're in with my daughter, correct?"

"Yes."

"Having her there doesn't distract you?"

"No, sir." He quickly realized his mistake. "I mean, Mr. Prentiss."

This time Charles didn't laugh. He got serious. "What are your plans for college?"

This was the question Aaron had been anticipating, and he was glad he had at least part of an answer to give.

"I just heard back from two schools this week," he informed Charles.

"Which schools?"

"Harvard and Yale."

It didn't escape Charles' notice that Yale was his daughter's school of choice, but he let that slide for the moment. "And?"

"I was accepted into both."

Charles looked both surprised and impressed. "Those are some tough schools to get into. Great job."

"Thank you," Aaron said, pleased he didn't get another "nice."

"Which one are you leaning towards?"

And this is where Aaron got nervous. He had no idea. The thought of his future terrified him. It was too much for a teenage boy to think about in such a short period of time. His stomach began to twist in knots.

"I haven't really decided," he admitted. "Harvard was my father's alma mater, so there's that, but Yale…"

"Has my daughter," Charles finished. Aaron's throat felt dry.

"Well, yes, I suppose it does."

"You intend to stay with her past graduation?"

Aaron answered without hesitation. "Of course."

"You answered that pretty quickly." Any trace of friendliness was completely gone now. Aaron sat up straighter.

"Because I'm sure. I care about Emily very much, and as long as I have a say in it, I will be with her."

Charles' dark look made Aaron worry he'd said too much, but instead of backing down, he continued to maintain eye contact. It was too late to go back now.

"What if she wanted to break up with you?" Charles asked, leaning forward. "What would you do then?"

Just the thought made Aaron's heart break. "If that's what she truly wanted, I'd let her go."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that," he confirmed. "But _only _if that was what she wanted."

Charles stared at him some more, and as the seconds ticked by Aaron found it harder and harder not to fidget in his seat. Those eyes were obviously the ones Emily inherited, and Charles' gaze reminded Aaron of those early days of the school year when he and Emily were enemies. When she stared at him with contempt.

As the seconds turned into minutes, the anger in Charles' eyes began to fade, and it was replaced by admiration. Aaron felt the knot in his stomach loosen.

"Not many boys would say that to their girlfriend's father," he said, his gaze never leaving the teenager before him. "What does that make you?"

"Stupid," Aaron answered truthfully. The smallest of smiles appeared on Charles' face.

"Yes. But it also shows just how much you care for Emily. You weren't afraid to tell me how you feel about her, even if I won't like the answer." He sighed. "And you just _had_ to have manners."

"Sorry," Aaron said with a small laugh. Charles smiled even more.

"Don't be. I just say that because it makes it harder to hate you."

_So you don't hate me? _Aaron wanted to ask, but he kept his mouth shut.

"It's just," Charles continued, unaware of the hopefulness Aaron was feeling. "Emily isn't just my only daughter. She's my only child. A part of me has always been worried about her because she's so headstrong and fearless, and I'm afraid one day that's going to get her hurt."

Aaron nodded. "I understand where you're coming from, Mr. Prentiss. But I swear that I have no intention of hurting your daughter. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I did."

Charles nodded back. "I believe you. I can see it in your eyes."

_Okay…_

"I believe Emily is lucky to have you." Charles stood up and offered his hand. Aaron followed suit and shook it eagerly.

"Thank you, Mr. Prentiss. I'm glad you, uh, approve."

"I do. But know this." he leaned in closer. "If you do hurt her, I will make your life hell."

"Duly noted."

Charles smiled and tilted his head towards the kitchen. "Now go in there and show her that I haven't hurt you."

Aaron grinned and walked into the kitchen. Emily was pacing behind the counter. She spun around when he walked in, taking in his appearance.

"See, Emily?" Elizabeth said. "Not a scratch on his body."

Emily rolled her eyes and hurried over to her boyfriend. She grabbed his hands. "I didn't think he would actually hurt you. I was just afraid he'd be difficult."

"Not at all," Aaron replied with a smile. He wanted nothing more than to kiss her, but her parents were still standing there.

"He's a fine boy," Charles said. "I won't mind seeing more of him around here."

Emily's face split into a wide grin as she rushed over to her father and gave him a hug. Then she gave Aaron a tight hug, whispering, "I knew you'd impress him."

Elizabeth watched them hug and pulled her husband back into the dining room. "Charles, come set out dessert with me."

The couple knew full well what she was doing, but they didn't object. As soon as they were alone Aaron pulled Emily in for a kiss, her arms hanging around his neck. When they came up for air they rested their foreheads together.

"I love you," he whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back. "Thanks for doing this."

"Anything for you." He kissed her again. "Now I don't have to sprint out the door."

Emily laughed and took his hand. "No, now my dad won't feel bad about teasing you, especially when he finds out what a nerd you are."

"How would he find out?"

"You don't think I'll tell him?"

"You wouldn't."

"I can't lie to my dad!" she said deviously.

"You're going to be the death of me," he moaned, though there was a twinkle in his eye.

"A good death though, right?"

"The best."


End file.
